Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis was in London Monday to meet Rafael Benitez in a bid to lure Chelsea's interim manager to the Serie A club, according to reports in Italy. Napoli's runner-up place to Juventus was confirmed when the season ended on Sunday, meaning the Neapolitans have qualified for next season's Champions League. Napoli's need to find a new coach is pressing as Walter Mazzarri confirmed on Sunday his departure from the club.

Nine-man Sassuolo wrote a page in Italian football history Saturday by winning Serie B and gaining promotion to Italy's Serie A for the first time. An injury time goal from playmaker Simone Missiroli in an ill-tempered 1-0 win over Livorno was enough to secure promotion to Italy's top flight and games against giants like Juventus, AC Milan and Inter. With approximately 41,000 inhabitants, Sassuolo, based near Ferrari's headquarters of Maranello, will also become the smallest town to have a club in Serie A and will be joined by Hellas Verona after they finished second.

Former Arsenal and France midfielder Patrick Vieira was appointed as the coach of Manchester City's emerging young stars on Thursday. Vieira had been working as City's football development executive since retiring as a player with the Manchester outfit two years ago and is now in charge of their 'elite development squad'. The 36-year-old's move onto the City coaching staff, which will see him deal with what is effectively the reserve team, follows the sacking of manager Roberto Mancini and a number of his backroom team earlier this week.

Delio Rossi on Wednesday extended his contract as coach of Sampdoria, tying him to the Serie A club until 2015. Rossi, who took over from Ciro Ferrara just before Christmas, has steered the 'Blucerchiati' to safety in a difficult first season back in the top flight and penned his new deal live on Samp's television channel. "We will have to put up with each other for another two years," club president Edoardo Garrone joked on SampTV.